Furnished Apartments for Rent in Dakar (Mermoz)
No apartments listed in Mermoz yet
The page exists, the properties are on their way. In the meantime, here are other options for your stay — and if you own a property in the area, now's the time to list it.
Dakar almost always forces you to pick a side. To the east, the administrative center and its offices. To the west, the residential tip of the peninsula and the ocean. In between, an hour by car at the wrong times of day, and a trade-off every newcomer has to make before they even know their own rhythm.
Mermoz is where you don't have to choose. Set in the middle of the peninsula, between the VDN and the western Corniche, the neighborhood puts the Plateau and the Almadies at comparable distances. It is neither the most prestigious nor the most striking — it is the most practical, and over a stay of several months that quality ends up outweighing all the others.
The balanced neighborhood
The geography of the peninsula explains everything. Mermoz and Sacré-Cœur sit in the middle, served by the VDN to the north and the western Corniche to the south — two roads that skirt the congested heart of the city. The result: from here, you reach the administrative center as easily as the western tip without ever going through the worst of the traffic.
That changes the nature of your stay. You don't need to know, before arriving, whether your days will be spent in the east or the west — and that is precisely the information nobody has until they have lived in Dakar for a few weeks. For a first move to the city, an assignment whose schedule will evolve, or a family whose school and office are on opposite sides, it is the most useful insurance you can take out.
The second advantage is less visible but just as real: Mermoz is a self-sufficient neighborhood. Markets, pharmacies, bakeries, workshops, schools, clinics — everything you need day to day is within walking distance. That is not the case in the Plateau, which has no residential life, or on the western tip, where you take the car for almost everything. Over three months, that neighborhood independence counts for a lot.
The trade-off is simple and worth stating: there is no view, no seafront, no scenery. Mermoz is an ordinary neighborhood and it won't make for pretty photos. Those looking for a setting will be disappointed; those coming to live will find exactly what they need.
What a furnished apartment in Mermoz looks like
One-bedroom apartment in a residential building — the neighborhood's standard format, the most widely available and one of the best value for space in the city.
Two-bedroom family apartment — plentiful here, unlike the western tip where affordable family housing is scarce. This is what draws families moving with children.
Long-stay studio — many researchers, graduate students and long-term interns, with the nearby university and major hospitals a strong draw.
Apartment with a terrace or large balcony — common in buildings from the 1990s and 2000s, and much appreciated in the hot season, since gardens are rare.
Getting your bearings in the neighborhood
Mermoz stretches between several main roads that shape daily life, and the exact address affects travel times more than the distance would suggest.
On the VDN side, you are closest to the fast road heading north and west. Handy if you work on the western tip or move around a lot, a little noisier.
On the western Corniche side, you get direct access to the seafront — to run, walk, breathe — and a quieter setting. This is the most sought-after part of the neighborhood.
Toward Sacré-Cœur and Liberté, to the east, density goes up and rents go down. You remain perfectly central, with more street life.
Toward Fann and the university, to the south, you are close to the major facilities — campus, hospitals — in a greener, more institutional area.
The criterion that really separates two apartments here: the walking distance to the road you will use every day. Five minutes' walk to catch a taxi on the VDN versus ten minutes along a side street adds up to twenty minutes a day over three months.
Living in Mermoz long-term
The climate is in between, like everything else here. The sea breeze arrives softened from the Corniche: less noticeable than in the Almadies, much more than downtown. From March to June, air conditioning is useful but nights stay bearable; from July to October, the humidity is heavy, as it is everywhere in the city.
When it comes to availability, Mermoz follows the school and university calendar more than the institutional one: arrivals peak in September and the market tightens from late summer. The best deals are made outside that window, especially from July to October.
Something to know if you are staying several months: this is a neighborhood where owners often rent out their properties themselves, without an agency. Direct contact, opened as soon as you book, is therefore particularly valuable here — to arrange the check-in inventory, utilities and cleaning.
Good to know & booking
Two things to pin down before committing: the exact rule for electricity — flat rate or metered, with any threshold — and whether there is a water tank, since pressure regularly drops on upper floors. These are the two items that really change the actual cost of a month in Mermoz.
The neighborhood lends itself well to long-stay routines: the western Corniche is the city's main spot for running and walking, personal fitness coaching is widely available, and African dance or drumming workshops are a good way to root a stay of several months in something other than work.
This page lists furnished apartments in Mermoz. For a unit in a leafy villa rather than an apartment building, see the furnished apartments in Point E, just to the south. If budget is your main constraint, the cheap apartments in Dakar cover the whole budget segment. And if you want building services, the serviced residences in Dakar are a better fit.
Just to the east, the serviced residences in Keur Gorgui offer newer buildings with building services, in a comparable location.
You secure the apartment by paying 20% of the total online, with the balance paid to the owner on arrival, usually in cash. For a move of several months, this means you don't tie up your cash before you have even unpacked. Monthly discounts are negotiated directly with the owner: here, that is the main price lever. Tourist tax: 1,000 FCFA per person per night, payable on site. It goes to the owner and does not pass through Senegal Rent; we mention it so you can budget for it.
Cancellation is free up to 7 days before arrival in low season (June 1 – October 31) and 14 days in high season (November 1 – May 31); after that, the booking is final and the 20% is non-refundable. A booking canceled within 24 hours of confirmation is fully refunded if arrival is more than seven days away. Last-minute bookings are final upon confirmation, with one date change allowed up to 48 hours before. If the owner cancels, we offer you an equivalent apartment in Dakar's central residential area or refund all fees in full. The resident rate is shown on every listing for residents of Senegal and the Senegalese diaspora, on an account verified after a phone call.
Who is it for?
First-time movers to Dakar, when you don't yet know where your daily life will settle: this is the neighborhood that keeps all options open.
Families whose school and office are on opposite sides of the peninsula — the most common situation and the hardest to solve anywhere else.
University and hospital stays — researchers, medical residents, PhD students — naturally drawn here by the nearby campus and major healthcare facilities.
And finally, long stays on a moderate budget, for whom the balance between central location and price is the best in inner Dakar.
Frequently asked questions
Why choose Mermoz over the Almadies or the Plateau?
Because it is the only area from which you can reach both in comparable time, thanks to the VDN and the western Corniche, which skirt the congested center. So you don't have to decide, before arriving, whether your days will be spent in the east or the west — information nobody has until they have lived there for a few weeks.
Is the neighborhood pleasant to live in?
Above all, it is practical. Markets, pharmacies, bakeries, schools and clinics are all within walking distance, which is not the case in the Plateau or on the western tip. On the other hand, there is no view and no seafront: Mermoz is an ordinary neighborhood, and that is what makes it work.
Are there family-size apartments?
Yes, and it is one of the neighborhood's strengths: two-bedroom apartments are plentiful and affordable, unlike the western tip where affordable family housing is rare. Many families with children start out here.
What is the best address in Mermoz?
The western Corniche side for peace and quiet and seafront access, the VDN side for fast travel, toward Sacré-Cœur and Liberté for lower rents. The criterion that really decides it: the walking distance to the road you will use every day.
When is the market tightest?
In late summer, since arrivals peak in September — the neighborhood follows the school and university calendar more than the institutional one. From July to October, there is much more room to negotiate.
What should I check before committing?
The exact rule for electricity, flat rate or metered with any threshold, and whether there is a water tank — pressure regularly drops on upper floors. These are the two items that change the actual cost of a month here.
How does payment work?
You pay 20% online to secure the apartment, then the balance to the owner on arrival, usually in cash. For a move of several months, this means you don't tie up your cash before you have unpacked. Monthly discounts are negotiated with the owner; the tourist tax is paid on site.